California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza (Copycat Recipe)

California Pizza Kitchen revolutionized pizza with their iconic BBQ Chicken Pizza in the 1980s, combining sweet barbecue sauce, smoky Gouda cheese, and tender chicken on a crispy crust. This copycat recipe brings that restaurant-quality flavor straight to your kitchen. The secret lies in the perfect balance of tangy BBQ sauce, two types of cheese, and paper-thin red onions that create an unforgettable flavor combination. Skip the delivery fees and make this gourmet pizza masterpiece at home in 40 minutes.

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Why This Recipe Works

The genius of CPK’s BBQ Chicken Pizza lies in its non-traditional approach. The pizza achieves a perfect sweet-savory balance by swapping tomato sauce for barbecue sauce. The combination of mild mozzarella and smoky Gouda creates depth, while the barbecue sauce caramelizes during baking, intensifying the flavors without making the crust soggy.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – Provides lean protein that absorbs BBQ flavors beautifully
• Olive oil – Creates a golden sear on the chicken while keeping it moist
• Barbecue sauce – Choose a tomato-based sauce like Kraft Original for authentic flavor

For the Pizza:

• Fresh cilantro – Provides bright, herbaceous notes that complement the BBQ flavors
• Pizza dough – Forms the crispy foundation for all the toppings
• Semolina or cornmeal – Prevents sticking and adds texture to the crust bottom
• Barbecue sauce – Acts as the flavor base instead of traditional tomato sauce
• Shredded mozzarella cheese – Provides the classic pizza cheese stretch and mild flavor
• Shredded smoked Gouda cheese – Adds rich smokiness reminiscent of bacon
• Red onion – Brings sharp acidity that cuts through the rich cheese and sauce

How to Make BBQ Chicken Pizza

1. In a large frying pan, cook the chicken in olive oil over medium-high heat until done.
2. Refrigerate cooked chicken until chilled through.
3. Once chilled, coat the chicken with BBQ sauce and place it back in the refrigerator.
4. Place a pizza stone in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
5. Cut the chicken into thin strips or small bite-sized pieces.
6. Sprinkle semolina on a work surface.
7. Place the pizza dough on the semolina and roll out the dough.
8. Spread BBQ sauce evenly over the surface of the dough within the edge.
9. Sprinkle Gouda cheese over the sauce.
10. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
    

    

11. Distribute chicken pieces evenly over the cheese.
12. Distribute red onion slices evenly over the pizza.
13. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.
    

    

14. Transfer the pizza to the pizza stone in the oven.
15. Bake until the crust is crisp and golden and the cheese in the center is bubbly.
16. Remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle cilantro on top.
17. Slice and serve.

Tips for Making a Better California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza

• Make your pizza dough. Don’t overpay for frozen pizza dough at the store when making your own is easy. Yes, even you can make great dough with this CopyKat recipe!
• Don’t over-sauce your pizza. BBQ sauce is tasty, but using too much makes your pizza a mushy mess that is impossible to eat. To avoid over-saucing, make an asterisk (*) with the sauce on the dough and then spread it out with the back of a serving spoon.
• Use a pizza stone. Remember to pre-heat your oven with the pizza stone inside to get the pizzeria-quality crust you want.

Did you know California Pizza Kitchen has a great cookbook? They sure do! And you can get it on Amazon: The California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

• Refrigerator Storage: Store leftover pizza slices in airtight containers for up to 3 days. The crust may soften slightly but flavors remain delicious.
• Reheating Method: Reheat in a 375°F oven for 5-7 minutes until cheese melts and crust crisps. Avoid microwaving, which makes the crust chewy.
• Freezing: Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight and reheat in oven.

Love California Pizza Kitchen? Try these copycat recipes!

• Chicken Tequila Fettuccine
• CPK Thai Chicken Pizza
• CPK Tortilla Soup

More Pizzas to Make

• Chocolate Pizza
• Crescent Veggie Pizza
• Margherita Pizza
• Pizza Bowl
• Pizza Monkey Bread
• Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Recipe
• Unos Pizza

Favorite Barbecue Recipes

• BBQ Baked Beans
• BBQ Chicken Tenders
• Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Check out my easy chicken recipes and the best copycat recipes for casual dining restaurants here on CopyKat!